Altitude, or elevation, and wind have the greatest and most apparent effect on golf ball distance. Every 1,000 feet above sea level a golf course sits, a golfer can expect their ball to travel
approximately 2 percent
farther.
Does elevation affect golf ball distance?
The golf ball flies further in high altitudes mainly due to the change in air density, which decreases as elevation increases. Thinner air exerts less drag force on the ball. The ball moves more easily through the air and doesn't slow down as quickly as it flies, resulting in
greater distance
.
How do you adjust yardage for elevation?
This formula should be approached as follows: If there is an uphill or a downhill shot of 15 feet of elevation, add or subtract one club. If there is more than 15 feet, add or subtract one club for every 15 feet. For example- let's say you are 150 yards to the pin and you would use your 7-iron.
Does a golf ball lose distance over water?
Both types of balls lose approximately six yards of total distance after eight days in water
. However, two-piece golf balls will lose about 10 yards in total after three months in water, while multi-piece golf balls will lose approximately 12 yards in three months and 15 yards in six months underwater.
Do golf balls travel less in cold weather?
A golf ball will travel less distance in colder temperatures
for two reasons. First, when the golf ball and golf club are colder, the transfer of energy is not as efficient, so the ball speed will be less. Second, colder air is more dense than warm air, so there is more friction and drag.
Do golf balls fly less in cold weather?
Cold weather will make the ball fly shorter
for a couple reasons. Cold air is denser than warm air and creates additional drag on the ball. More lift and drag makes the ball go higher and shorter. Tests show a loss of two yards of carry for every ten degrees below 75°.
How many yards do you lose at sea level?
Altitude, as you can see above, is the other big factor. With a driver, you get an extra
2.5 yards per 1,000 feet of altitude
. But that's not all. The “optimal spin rate” with a driver, Rice explains, increases from 2,250 RPMs at sea level to about 3,000 RPMs at 10,000 feet.
Do golf balls travel further humid air?
A golf ball goes a bit farther when it's humid
. “Air that is hot or humid is actually lighter than air that is cold or dry or both,” according to Steve Aoyama, a scientist at Titleist, in a story published by the PGA's website. “Heat reduces the air's density by causing it to expand.
Do golf balls travel farther in warm weather?
Generally, a warmer golf ball travels farther
. The rubber materials used to make golf balls respond better if they are more resilient. Warmth enhances resiliency. A warmer ball will come off the clubface with more velocity and spin than a colder ball, encouraging loft.
How can you calculate the distance a golf ball travels?
Subtract the distance to the flagstick from the total yardage of the hole
. For example, if the hole is 380 yards from the tees that you played and the range finder indicates that you're 120 yards from the flag, you hit your drive 260 yards.
How do pro golfers determine yardage?
The yardage book are ubiquitous on the PGA Tour.
Players and caddies carry them in their pockets and consult them before each shot
. They show yardages to various targets on each hole, different points of elevation, and a close-up of the green that shows detailed contours and yardages.
Do elevated greens play longer?
All other things being equal,
a shot hit to an elevated green is going to need longer to stop than a shot played to a green
which is level with the fairway. Your ball will hit the ground while travelling on a flatter path, meaning the first bounce will be bigger and your spin will not have as much effect.
Do golf balls lose compression over time?
If a 2-piece ball spends about a week submerged under water it can lose nearly six yards of carry and roll
. If it is underwater for three months it will lose about three more yards. For a 3-5 piece ball it averages about six yards loss after a week, 12 yards after three months and 15 yards after six months.
Are 20 year old golf balls still good?
So keep your balls in a cool, dry place and they will last for awhile. The golf ball researchers at Titleist state, “
Today's Titleist golf balls can be safely stored for five years or even more, as long as they are kept away from excessive heat
. … Normal indoor conditions should be fine for storage.”
What is the lifespan of a golf ball?
A golf ball in good cosmetic shape will hold its shelf life for
5-7 years or seven 18-hole rounds
. However, scuff marks from any unfortunate play are more likely to result in a player changing golf balls much sooner than losing their core integrity.
Do softer golf balls go further?
Do Softer Golf Balls Go Further? As a general rule,
soft low compression golf balls will travel further when you hit your driver and irons
. With your wedges, soft and firm golf balls should travel the same distance.
Does the temperature of a golf ball affect the distance?
“
When the golf ball gets colder, it can lose a few miles per hour in ball speed, which can mean distance loss due to speed
,” said Snell. “[The] optimum temperature range is 70 to 90 degrees. At 40-degree temps the ball can slow down and be shorter by 5 to 10 yards.
Which golf ball rolls the farthest?
Analyzing the individual ball statistics we can see that the
Titleist Pro V1x
averaged the farthest distance as well at 266.7 yards. Meanwhile, the Callaway Chrome Soft X averaged the shortest distance at only 259.3 yards. This results in a difference between the average maximum and minimum of only 7.4 yards.
What happens if you microwave a golf ball?
Does a warm golf ball go further than a cold one?
Cold air is denser than warm air and creates additional drag on a ball. According to Trackman, the difference is
approximately one yard of carry for every 10-degree change in temperature
. So theoretically, you're looking at a loss of four yards if you're playing in 40 degrees as opposed to 80 degrees.
Does freezing golf balls damage?
It is certainly not a good idea to hit a ball when it is at freezing temperatures, because
this will not only cause damage to the ball but probably the club as well
, never mind the potential damage to your body if you are not warmed up properly.
Does golf ball go farther in Phoenix?
Because you are at a higher elevation above sea level, combined with the hard fairways and the dry air,
the ball travels farther
.
Do golf balls fly farther in Florida?
While
humidity can decrease air density, which allows the ball to travel farther, the overall impact is negligible
. Raising humidity from 10 percent to 90 percent will increase distance by barely one yard with both driver and 6-iron.
Does a golf ball travel further in Colorado?
Most PGA Tour players say that
the ball flies about 10 percent farther in Denver than at sea level
, so up here in the mountains, I say about 15 percent longer than at sea level. So, your 150-yard club at sea level may go 165 up here, or from Denver, your 150 club may go 157.
Do golf balls travel less in rain?
Rain increases air humidity creating thicker air which leads to more resistance to the golf ball in flight.
The golf ball will therefore not travel as far in the rain
and even more so in cold wet weather. It is estimated steady rain causes a negative effect on ‘carry' distance of around 3-5 yards.
